SafetySherriff, Some time ago on the old H&R Talk, there was a discussion of the strength of various guns chambered in 45-70. I referenced an article in a major publication on the subject. The article is "Anatomy of a Blackpowder Blowup" by C. Rodney James. It was published in the 28th Edition of Guns Illustrated 1996 and begins on page 64.
Handirifle, Over the last year of working with my 44 Handi, a few things made themselves abundantly clear....First, there is more to poor accuracy and cast boolits with micro groove barrels than myth. Cast boolit groups fall apart, and I mean fall apart at 1300 fps. So far, neither plainbase nor gas checked boolits have made any difference. There has been one and only one exception in my gun. Magnus Bullet makes a 300 grain single lube groove truncated cone bullet that not only shoots at 1450 from my gun, it shoots into one inch as readily as the Speer 270 GD does. This bullet (#704) is also a bevel base design cast from typical industry hardcast. It is about 21 BHN. To put this into perspective, I have been unable to get the same accuracy using boolit I cast from Linotype. Go figure. I have found the gun to be very accurate, in fact one of the most accurate guns I have ever owned. It will, with loads it likes, shoot into 1.25" monotonunsly. I would not hesitate to shoot anything that weighs up to 300 pounds with the Speer 270 GD. Mine pushes it to 1575 fps and will deliver just under 1000 foot pounds at 150 yards. Sighted "0" at 115 yards or so, it is only 6" low at 150. Not bad for a handgun cartridge. Having made 4 kills with mine this past season, I would not hesitate to shoot anything I could see with my naked eyes with it.
It is my understanding that the 44 barrel is or has been discontinued. I do not know how that may factor into your decision.
My purchase of the 45-70 was based on two things, first, everyone around here was getting one, and I figured I would be able to use everyone elses learning curves. Second and perhaps more important, having never shot game with cast boolits, I may have rushed into a poor judgement about them. I decided that all things being equal, a heavier bullet will be a better killer than a lighter one. As there are a couple of big bucks in my hunting area, I did not want to find myself in the position of having a gun capable of the task (the 44) loaded with a substandard bullet (255 grains at 1250 fps) I figured that if with cast boolits the accuracy limitation of the rifling in a Handi was about 1300 fps, I would rather hit something with 330-400 grain bullets than with something lighter, hence my decision to get the 45-70.
I believe today my judgement of the performace I saw on one deer as being "not good enough" is wrong. Animals up to and over 400 pounds are killed cleanly every season with 255 grain 44 caliber cast boolits at 1250-1300 fps every year. In fact, Elmer Keiths favorite loadings of the 44 Special and the 44 Mag pushed 255 grain bullets to 1200 fps.
At the same time, everything on this continent has been killed with the lowly 45-70 using 405 grain boolits at 1300 fps. I doubt there is a nickels worth of killing power difference between those two loadings. I am certain that NO deer is going to look at you and run away because you poked him through the lungs with a measly 255 grain boolit at 1200 fps. I keep thinking of what Dave Scovill wrote to me...."There is not a deer in Alabama a 255 grain bullet at 1200 fps won't shoot completely through".... As I mull over the mountain of evidence on his side, I think the answer to your question will reside with the answer to the question "Which are you more comfortable with???" In the year I've known you now, I have found you to be a thoughtful, intelligent and well spoken gentleman. I do not think those traits will betray you in the hunting fields leading you to take shots beyond your means. Either of these are capable killers in capable hands and will not fail you.
My ultimate solution to the problem was.............get both :roll:
